A proggression of childhood
by MistyGlow23
Summary: A story about the unhappy childhood of Severus Snape, his forged friendship with Lily, and all that entailed. Begins in Spinners' End, 1965. May continue through Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

Severus Snape sat perched on the bowed branch of the ancient oak tree, swinging his short legs rhythmically to and fro. At 5 years old, his feet still dangled a good two feet above the ground, despite sitting on the trees' lowest bough. Severus tugged at a few autumn leaves clinging to a nearby branch, crinkling them to pieces and watching contentedly as they fluttered gently to the floor. It was perfect here. Every evening, Severus found himself wishing he could stay forever. His favourite fantasy was to imagine that he could spend his days and nights curled in the little hollow at the base of the tree or lying across his favourite branch, collecting beetles and reading his books. There'd be no more arguing, taunting or teasing if he were here by himself. But even at his young age, the boy knew the stark difference between his imagination and reality. Eventually someone would have to come looking for him, and he dread to think of what his father would do if he'd caused so much trouble. Besides, he wouldn't want anyone searching and finding his secret hiding place here on the outskirts of the wood.

Speaking of which, Severus was all too aware that he needed to run back home soon. His 5 years had taught him that he needed to get back before sunset to stand any chance of avoiding his father. Already the sun's first rays were beginning to vanish over the horizon, and dusk was approaching fast. With a half hearted sigh, Severus dropped lightly to the ground and grabbed his tattered coat before pounding across the field as fast as his scraggly legs could carry him. Within two minutes he reached the first houses of Spinner's end, and within another two he would be at his front door. The simple route was so familiar that he could have ran it with his eyes shut.

As he approached the smallest, dirtiest and most shabby house on the street, Severus creaked open the peeling black door and cautiously peered inside. _Phew._ The key-bowl by the side of the door was empty, which could only mean that _he _was not back yet. Despite having no qualms about leaving his child unfed and neglected, or battering his cowering wife, for some reason Tobias Snape (even in his drunken stupor) had always placed his key in the bowl whenever he came inside. Severus didn't understand why the man was so insistent on doing this, but then he didn't understand much about his father. Perhaps it was just a muggle habit.

The hall and landing were unlit and silent, with only a few shards of light trickling through the netted windows providing any visibility. Still not wanting to attract the attention of his mother who would be in the front room, Severus creaked softly up the stairs and crept into his tiny room. The small space was barely large enough for the worn and shoddy mattress it encased, and it beheld no other furniture or decoration. Like the rest of the house-and even the small boy inside it-the room had a neglected and unloved air about it. Scraps of mouldy wallpaper hung in ribbons from the dingy walls, threatening to reveal the damp plaster underneath. The thin mattress and musty carpet were equally threadbare, stained and filthy. A chipped wooden trunk stood in the far corner, enclosing Severus' few possessions, mostly consisting of several makeshift toys and a stack of his mothers' old magic books he'd found stuffed behind her wardrobe. Nevertheless, the boy didn't mind his rooms' unappealing appearance. On the contrary, it was so distasteful that his father rarely ventured in, which was worth it to Severus.

Sitting on his bed, he plucked a faded red copy of _'The Standard Book of Spells'_ from the trunk, and flipped open its familiar pages. For a 5 year old, Severus was remarkably advanced when it came to reading and his knowledge of magic. After hours spent poring over each book, he was already familiar with most spells. Things were never too pleasant at home, and the books served as a valuable distraction. Besides, the world of magic really was _fascinating_.

Severus knew he was a wizard. He had known since he was 3 years old and his mother had told him, after spotting her son magically making daisies sprout from the frozen ground during winter. Although still at an age barely able to talk, young Severus had recognised that this meant he was different from everyone else. He could do things other kids in the neighbourhood couldn't. His mother had seemed pleased the first time she'd realised he had magic. She'd shown him a curious wooden stick she could shoot sparks from, and told him animatedly about a place called Hogwarts that he would go to when he was older. Even now, Severus remembered detecting a warm trace of happiness in his mothers voice as she'd described the strange school-something he'd never experienced before, nor since. But that all happened a long time ago. Before things started to turn badly for the Snape family-before money became scarce, food even scarcer, and his father began to stagger in late every night with his mind clouded in alcohol. Nowadays Eileen Snape seemed to spend her days moping around in the front room. Severus didn't like to disturb her-the mournful expression on her face just seemed to sink in further when he did.

All of a sudden, a loud, dull thud from downstairs startled Severus, causing him to jump and shut the book with a snap.

'Eil-Eileeenn?' A drunken slur reverberated through the house.

'Eileen...where have you p-put my d-damned coat?'

'It's over there, j-just where you left it!' _A frightened squeak._

'Bloody woman, jus-just look at the state of this place! F-filthy, bare, not a bite to eat-y-you're useless!' The voice had risen to a shout.

'Tobias, ple-'

'It's your fault you know! It's you and your bloody magic that keeps everyone away from us! I can't keep a single post because everyone knows you're cursed!'

'Magic isn't a curse!' The frightened squeak had suddenly taken on a fierce, defiant edge. 'And maybe if you actually _tried_, we wouldn't b-'

The unmistakable crunching noise of a fist striking bone silenced any further words. Severus curled his tiny frame into a tight ball as he anticipated what he knew was coming. His thin body tensed with the sound of every kick-every punch, as if he were being struck himself. After several minutes, the pounding was still yet to cease, and the shouts became so frantic and furious that he could no longer distinguish any words. Tonight was particularly bad. _Perhaps he had lost his bets_ thought Severus. Slowly, the small boy burrowed his way under his musty blanket and clamped his clenched fist over his ears. Stifling the sobs that worked up from his chest, Severus tried desperately to swallow back any tears that bubbled their way to the surface. Tears are for the weak, his father had once yelled at him; and Severus did not want to be weak. Instead, he endeavoured in vain to regulate his breathing, and hoped to hell that when he crept down the stairs tomorrow, he would not find the floorboards slick with blood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who's followed/favourited! As always, these characters all belong to the very talented JK Rowling.**

It was the first cracks of dawn slicing into the room, that jostled Severus rudely from his sleep. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes lazily, before the recollection of last nights' events hit him with a start. _His mother. _Was she alright? The house was silent. _Too _silent. Severus pushed his door open softly, and nervously emerged down the stairs. His father had usually already left by this time-spending his days god knows where, not that Severus could really care any less. A solitary figure sat hunched by the far window, her face hidden by dark, lank hair.

'Mum?'

'Yes Severus?' Her voice was hoarse, but not ungentle.

'Are you ok?' chimed his childish voice, as he padded closer.

'Of course. Why wouldn't I be?' Eileen's face was still turned away, and carefully concealed from her son by a curtain of thin, dark hair.

'I thought tha-'

'I'm fine Severus.' Her tone was final, and came unexpectedly sharp.

Severus couldn't help but feel dismayed. Didn't his mother want him to help? Didn't she care about him?

The pale woman seemed to sense this, for she turned her head just a few degrees towards him, and managed a weak smile. The gesture was brief and slight, but it was enough for him to glimpse a blackening bruise across her cheek. He also noticed several fresh, raw gashes snaking their way up around her neck. Severus shuddered in subdued horror.

'I'm fine,' she repeated, softening her tone. 'I've-I've left you some breakfast on the table dear. Now be a good boy and get yourself to school?'

'Yes mum.'

Severus retreated back towards the greasy kitchen table, where a hunk of coarse bread sat accompanied with a scrap of hard cheese. He wolfed it down with his fingers eagerly. Food wasn't something you could afford to be picky about in the Snape household.

Although his back was turned, Severus was aware that his mother was watching him devour his meal; he could almost feel her sharp gaze boring into him. He didn't understand why she insisted on keeping up this silly charade-pretending that nothing was wrong. It wasn't as if he suddenly became blind and deaf to the world as soon as his father was around-he knew what was happening. Yet she had spent the last several years of her existence in this strange state of denial, rarely venturing from the house and rarely showing any interest in her sons' wellbeing-although when she did, her manner was not unpleasant. The 5 year old could hardly be blamed for preferring to spend most of his time wedged in his secret hollow tree, cramming his small mind with information from his beloved magic books.

Having swiped up every last crumb, Severus returned upstairs to fetch his school things. It was not much to retrieve. A cracked leather satchel filled with an assortment of muggle items-pencils, pens etc. His father had insisted that he attend a local muggle school-'so that his head would be filled with something other than magic nonsense.' Severus sometimes supposed it was as if the idea of himself associating with magic scared him, although he acknowledged Severus' existence so little it was a wonder he cared what he did at all.

New rays of sunlight were rolling off the clouds and bouncing into Spinners' end as Severus ventured outside. He gave no heed to the chilly air, but determined on arriving at school as fast as possible. The walk was only fifteen minutes long, but he hated it. Most of the class walked this way too, providing judgemental stares and comments he was forced to endure.

'Poor kid, just look at him!' one mother would comment. 'All by himself-never any parents to be seen. Looks in need of a good scrub too. I'd never let _my _son roam around like that.'

'Perhaps its for the best.' another would return. 'A drunk for a father...and I've heard his mother...she's known to be...strange.'

Their voices was would drop to a whisper as they discussed their various theories for Eileen's absence, and her son's dishevelled appearance.

Severus didn't dawdle around to hear them, but hurried his way through the cobbled streets until he passed through the school gates. Sometimes he thought he hated his mother. _She_ never walked him to school. _She_ never packed his lunches like everyone else. But in the end, he knew it wasn't really her that he hated. It was _him._

Several hours later Severus emerged from the same rusty gates, clutching his satchel in the same hurried manner he had possessed upon entry. School had proven exceptionally uneventful. Most of the class (although not bluntly cruel) seemed to avoid him-no doubt intimidated by his wild, unruly attire and frightened by the comments they'd heard of his unusual parents. Even some of the teachers seemed wary of the young student. As a result, Severus was well accustomed to spending his school days slumped solitary in the corner of the classroom, observing other children in their cliques and barely hearing the teachers drone their dreary lessons. It wasn't that he wasn't bright; he just wasn't interested. Engaging happened to be extremely difficult when every single one of your peers seemed determined to exclude you. Besides, what use were muggle lessons when there was magic to be studied?

Speaking of which, at that moment Severus was on his way to visit his private hollow tree, hoping to snatch a few precious hours before sunset. Winding through alleyways so as to avoid being seen, he turned a sharp corner carelessly; the next thing he knew, he had crashed to the ground, having collided with something large and robust. Groaning slightly from the impact, he turned his gaze upwards to face a towering figure looming above him. Severus recognised it immediately. The figure belonged to a boy in the upper school, who was _not _known for his benevolent nature. Behind him stood two other boys, with a posture that suggested they were here merely to comply to the bidding of the boy whose shadow they lurked in.

Severus scrambled to his feet. Something told him these boys weren't a group he wanted to mess with.

'Really sorry,' he babbled at the glowering face. 'I guess I'm a bit clumsy...I'll just be off.'

Severus attempted to skittle around them, but the taller boy stepped aside, blocking his way.

'I should think so,' he snapped. 'Who the hell do you think you are?'

'I think he's that Snape boy,' remarked one of his cronies. 'You know, the one with the hair greasy enough to oil an engine.'

The third boy sniggered.

'Well then, _Snape._' the first sneered. 'I think you should learn to watch where you're going, don't you?'

With his friends jeering approval, he advanced closer to the small boy, forcing him to press himself against the dirty alleyway wall.

Severus started to panic. He barely reached past the waistline of the boy, and three on one was hardly a fair match. He raised his hands in a feeble attempt at self defence. As soon as he had completed this gesture, it was as if a giant, invisible fist had suddenly slammed into the boy, crunching him to the ground. Yelping in pain, he looked up, dazed at Severus.

'What did you-how did you-..?' His menacing demeanour had been replaced by fear. The two boys standing by helplessly looked equally bewildered as their friend slowly staggered to his feet. To Severus' surprise, he gave one last fearful, confused glance before limping quickly away with his companions close in tow.

Once they were out of sight, Severus stared at his open palms, equally stunned. What _had _he done? One minute he had simply raised his hands...and the next the boy was whimpering on the floor. He hadn't even touched him!

A few hours later, at the hollow oak tree, Severus used one of his tatty books to determine the cause of what he had done. _Accidental magic._ The title _'A Wizard's Guide to Beginner's Magic' _stated that such random outbursts were linked to emotions, but could be contained. Although immature magic was hard to master, the idea had Severus wondering. What if he _could _learn to control it? It had come in useful today by mere coincidence-how much more could he do if he could use it properly? He may not have a wand yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. Severus was practical enough to realise that an undersized, 5 year old boy wandering the streets alone when he pleased was vulnerable. Magic was going to come in useful sometime-perhaps even against his father.

**Ok, so this chapter was a bit slow paced but I plan to introduce Lily into the next one.**


End file.
